IAS Secures MRC Accreditation for AI-Driven SIVT and Attention Metrics

Abisola Tanzako | Feb 13, 2026

IAS Secures MRC Accreditation for AI-Driven SIVT and Attention Metrics

Integral Ad Science (IAS) has successfully maintained its standing with the Media Rating Council (MRC), securing recertification for its AI-powered measurement solutions. This accreditation specifically covers the company’s calculation and reporting of Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) detection and viewability metrics across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments.

Table of Contents

  1. Scope of the Accreditation
  2. Why Third-Party Validation Matters
  3. The ClickPatrol Analysis: What the Audit Misses

For digital advertisers, this validation confirms that the data used to verify impression quality and exclude fraudulent traffic meets the rigorous auditing standards set by the industry watchdog.

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Scope of the Accreditation

The recertification applies to IAS’s Quality Attention measurement suite. This is significant because attention metrics are increasingly replacing standard viewability as the primary KPI for brand awareness campaigns. The MRC audit validated the following components:

  • SIVT Filtration: The ability of IAS algorithms to identify and filter out complex bot activity that mimics human behavior (e.g., malware, hijacked devices).
  • Viewability Standards: Verification that ads meet the pixel-focus and time-in-view requirements on both Display and Video formats.
  • Attention Metrics: The measurement of user interaction, including time-in-view and gaze concentration, across multiple device types.

Why Third-Party Validation Matters

In the programmatic ecosystem, the gap between reported impressions and actual human views is often exploited by botnets. The MRC exists to audit the ‘black box’ algorithms vendors use to claim they are blocking fraud.

By securing this continued accreditation, IAS demonstrates that its machine learning models–which determine whether an ad slot is valid or fraudulent–are operating within acceptable error margins defined by the council. This allows media buyers to use IAS data as a currency for make-goods and billing reconciliation when campaigns are hit by invalid click activity.

The ClickPatrol Analysis: What the Audit Misses

While MRC accreditation is the gold standard for verification vendors, media buyers must understand the limitations of a retroactive audit in a real-time threat environment.

1. The Lag Time of Audits
SIVT evolves daily. Bot developers constantly refactor their scripts to bypass the specific detection signatures validated in previous audits. While accreditation proves the methodology is sound, it does not guarantee that 100% of new, zero-day bot attacks are being caught today.

2. Attention Metrics are Still Volatile
Just because a metric is accredited does not mean it correlates to conversion. ‘Attention’ is a proxy metric. A bot can trigger high attention scores by lingering on a page or scrolling programmatically. Advertisers should cross-reference attention data with backend conversion data (e.g., CRM leads or sales) rather than relying on it as a standalone success indicator.

3. Layered Defense is Required
Verification tools like IAS are excellent for post-bid blocking and monitoring. However, relying solely on one vendor creates a single point of failure. Effective fraud prevention requires a layered approach: using accredited verification for reporting, while employing aggressive exclusion lists and real-time IP blocking at the campaign level to prevent the invalid request from happening in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the significance of MRC accreditation for IAS?

    It validates that IAS’s data collection and fraud detection methods comply with industry standards, ensuring advertisers can trust the metrics for billing and optimization.

  • Does this accreditation guarantee zero ad fraud?

    No. It certifies the methodology used to detect fraud. Sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) constantly evolves, and no tool captures 100% of fraud.

  • What is SIVT in this context?

    SIVT stands for Sophisticated Invalid Traffic. Unlike simple bots, SIVT mimics human behavior (mouse movements, scrolling) to trick detection algorithms.

  • How should I use this news for my campaigns?

    Verify that your current verification partner holds active MRC accreditation. If you use IAS, ensure your settings are toggled to filter SIVT, not just General Invalid Traffic (GIVT).

  • How does ClickPatrol fit into this ecosystem?

    ClickPatrol provides real-time click fraud prevention that complements verification tools by blocking bot IPs before they can exhaust your budget.

Abisola

Abisola

Meet Abisola! As the content manager at ClickPatrol, she’s the go-to expert on all things fake traffic. From bot clicks to ad fraud, Abisola knows how to spot, stop, and educate others about the sneaky tactics that inflate numbers but don’t bring real results.

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